MCI nod to medical course

OUR CORRESPONDENT

NEIGRIHMS director A.G. Ahangar at the news conference in Shillong on Monday. Picture by UB Photos

Shillong, April 23: The MBBS course conducted by the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) has finally received recognition from the Medical Council of India (MCI).

A relieved NEIGRIHMS director A.G. Ahangar broke the news in a news conference at the Shillong Press Club here this evening.

“I am happy to announce before you that the MCI has granted recognition to the undergraduate (MBBS) course conducted by the institute,” he said.

The undergraduate course commenced at NEIGRIHMS, which was described by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee as an institute of “national importance”, on August 20, 2008.

The first batch of 50 MBBS students graduated in February this year and are currently undergoing internship programme at the institute itself.

According to Ahangar, the recognition to the course was given on the bases of infrastructure, faculty, laboratories, teaching programmes, curriculum, syllabi and the thorough, qualitative and transparent conduct of examination.

However, the NEIGRIHMS director said there was still a dearth of faculty at the institute although it is trying to recruit members to the teaching faculty. At present, there are around 40 vacancies in the faculty team.

“Dearth of faculty is a phenomenon which is not only happening in the country, but worldwide. However, compared to the six AIIMS-like institutions, we have received better faculty,” Ahangar said.

At the same time, he said he has moved the Centre to provide incentives to those doctors who are willing to be part of the institute’s faculty team.

To ensure health for all, he said a plan is in the offing to put in place a micro-insurance system wherein outpatients will need to pay Rs 5 in order to be insured for Rs 20,000 for a period of one year.